The Polish Institute in Tbilisi stands out as an example of how cultural initiatives can help build meaningful connections. The institute recently attracted attention for hosting a retrospective of the renowned Polish-born artist Tamara de Lempicka in Tbilisi.
This successful exhibition is just one example of the institute’s continued efforts to deepen the centuries-old bond between the Polish and Georgian people. From architecture to archaeology, literature to fine arts, the Polish contribution to Georgian culture is profound, with many Polish exiles finding a second home in Georgia over the past two centuries.
We sat down with Magdalena Wojdasiewicz, Director of the Polish Institute in Tbilisi, to discuss these cultural ties and explore the institute’s latest initiatives, including its partnership with Tbilisi’s inaugural Book Fair.
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In March, Georgian art lovers had the rare opportunity to see Tamara de Lempicka’s retrospective in Tbilisi, organized by your institute. What inspired you to bring it to Georgia?
My Georgian friends inspired me to bring Tamara de Lempicka’s work to Georgia. After visiting her exhibition in Poland together, we shared the dream of introducing her art to Georgian audiences. It became a reality, and thanks to our partners, Vere Gallery and Reach Art Visual, the exhibition was a great success.
Tamara de Lempicka was a true cosmopolitan and one of the most renowned female artists in the world. Less known, however, is that she took great pride in her Polish heritage and actively supported Poland during World War II. What were the key connections between Tamara and Poland?
She was, indeed, a citizen of the world, but primarily due to historical circumstances. She was forced to flee twice—first from Bolshevik Russia, and later from the horrors of World War II. Tamara spent her childhood in Warsaw, surrounded by the Polish cultural elite, which was deeply patriotic, especially as Poland at the time was divided among three occupying powers. Warsaw was the capital of “Congress Poland”—a nominally autonomous region within the Russian Empire. As Poles maintained a strong sense of national identity and repeatedly fought for independence, this environment had a profound influence on her sense of Polishness. She married a Polish nobleman, Tadeusz Lempicki, spoke only Polish to her daughter, Kizette, and during World War II, she made significant efforts to raise funds to support the Polish resistance. Although she did not return to Poland for political reasons, she reportedly regretted this decision for the rest of her life.
Your institute has done a lot to study and share the legacies of Polish architects, artists and public figures who made important contributions to Georgian culture. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many Polish independence fighters were exiled by the Russian Tsarist regime to Georgia, where they found a second home. Can you tell us more about the projects focused on the shared history between our nations?
The role of the network of Polish Institutes all over the world is to connect people through culture. In the case of Georgia, the bond between the Polish and Georgian people has deep historical roots and a long-standing tradition. Many Poles found a second homeland in Georgia, contributing their scientific and cultural expertise. The architecture of Tbilisi stands as a lasting testament to the Polish presence, visible in nearly every corner of the city.
One of the most prominent figures in Tbilisi’s architectural history was Aleksander Szymkiewicz, who served as the city’s municipal architect in the second half of the 19th century. He taught aspiring architects and artists, introduced scholarships for technical students, and designed some of Tbilisi’s most iconic buildings, including the Rustaveli Theatre, the Conservatoire, the Silk Museum, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the Tbilisi Funicular Station, among others.
Another key figure was Henryk Hryniewski, a researcher of Georgian cultural heritage and co-founder of the Georgian Academy of Fine Arts. Hryniewski also created illustrations for the works of Ilia Chavchavadze and designed the iconostasis for the Kashveti Church. He also decorated the former Noble Bank building, which now houses the National Library of Georgia. In recognition of his contributions, the Polish Institute recently established the Hryniewski Reading Room in the library, which hosts an extensive collection of Polish-language books.
In 2021, the Polish Institute, in collaboration with the University of Warsaw, established the Polish-Georgian Archaeological Mission, named after Stefan Krukowski, the first Polish archaeologist to conduct archaeological research in Georgia during the early 20th century. This mission has made significant discoveries recently, including the identification of the oldest traces of Kutaisi’s history, which date back to the 14th century BC—earlier research had placed these traces in the 8th century BC. This discovery places Kutaisi among the longest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Many Polish artists also played an important role in shaping Georgian culture. Undoubtedly, the most famous are the Zdaniewicz brothers, who were among the pioneers of both the Georgian and European avant-garde in the early 20th century. They are credited with discovering Pirosmani and introducing his works to Europe. Another key figure in the avant-garde movement was the Polish painter Zygmunt Waliszewski, who began his artistic career in Tbilisi. His works are now displayed at the National Museum in Kraków, and the Polish Institute has recently published the first monograph on Waliszewski in the Georgian language.
The long-standing friendship between our two nations and the enduring influence of Polish figures on Georgian culture set a high standard for us. While these achievements continue to guide and inspire us, we are dedicated to carrying this work forward. Together with Georgian society, we are eager to further support cultural exchange and strengthen the bonds between our peoples.
The Polish Institute is renowned for promoting Polish literature in Georgia and introducing Georgian writers to Polish audiences. Recently, Georgian author Tamta Melashvili’s Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry was awarded the best book of the year in Poland. As your institute is the main partner for Tbilisi’s inaugural Book Fair, what can we expect at Expo Georgia from April 10-13?
Indeed, the Polish Institute is proud to be one of the main partners of the Tbilisi Book Fair. Since our founding in 2018, we have worked to ensure the presence of Polish literature on the Georgian book market. To date, we have supported the translation of dozens of titles, including several novels by Polish Nobel Prize laureate Olga Tokarczuk, published by Intelekti Publishing. At this year’s Book Fair, we will be presenting the Georgian translation of Tokarczuk’s book, Empusium (the Georgian title is Empusebis nadimi) for the first time.
Additionally, we will be hosting a discussion on the importance of translators and translations, emphasizing the reciprocal exchange between languages. The Polish Institute is dedicated to promoting Polish literature in Georgian, but we also support the presence of Georgian literature in Poland. We are particularly proud to promote Tamta Melashvili, whose book was a major success in Poland last year. We view these efforts as a form of solidarity, bridging our cultures through literature. I warmly invite you to the Book Fair and encourage you to explore both Polish and Georgian literary works.
